Alveolar breath collection apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for collecting volatile organic compounds from a gas sample such as alveolar breath or room air comprises an exhaust portion having at least a flow measuring device, and a discriminating device for distinguishing between alveolar and non-alveolar breath. The apparatus further comprises a collection portion distinct from and parallel with the exhaust portion having at least a collection component for receiving and concentrating gas samples within a collection chamber and a sampling component having a plurality of sampling devices for receiving the concentrated gas sample from the collection chamber and isolating VOCs contained in the gas sample. The collection chamber is compressible via a drive mechanism for precisely actuating the chamber to draw a gas sample into the collection chamber and circulating the sample to the sampling devices. Use of a drive mechanism enables the exhaust portion to be distinct from the collection portion, thereby mitigating cross-contamination therebetween.

Description

PRIORITY APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 14 / 720,456 filed on May 22, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 002,159 filed on May 22, 2014, the content of each being incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]An improved apparatus for medical diagnostics is provided. More specifically, an improved apparatus for receiving and sampling volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from at least one gas sample is provided, some or all of the gas sample comprising human alveolar breath.BACKGROUND[0003]The analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled human breath is rapidly emerging as a painless, non-invasive alternative to conventional methods of disease diagnosis and metabolite measurement. Breath VOC measurement is also commonly used for monitoring the effects of human exposure to environmental pollutants and drugs.[0004]Hundreds of VOCs have been found in ex...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]According to embodiments herein, an apparatus for collecting a gas sample and sampling volatile organic compounds from the collected gas sample is provided, the apparatus for the improved collection and storage of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a gas sample for future analysis, the gas sample comprising, for example, human breath or/or ambient air. More specifically, the apparatus is configured t

Problems solved by technology

The method is therefore subject to inaccuracies in cases where a particular subject's lung capacity and/or expiration rate deviates strongly from the normal assumptions.

While the Baghdassarian apparatus employs a CO2-based method for discriminating between alveolar and tidal breath, it is unable to concentrate VOCs and is unable to remove undesired CO2 and water from the breath sample.

However, the Kline Apparatus is designed to collect breath water vapour for subsequent analysis of the breath condensates found therein, and is not appropriate for applications where it is desirable to filter out such water and to concentrate remaining breath VOCs.

While the apparatus taught in Cormier is capable of isolating and concentrating the alveolar portion of exhaled breath, the use of a pump to deliver collected breath to the sorbent tubes can be problematic, as using a pump to draw collected breath from the collection chamber lacks responsiveness and precision, and can also be unsafe to the user.

The lack of precision

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